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Why buy books when you can rent them?

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are mine and do not necessarily reflect those of SS Readers Corner.

I haven’t had much time to blog these days due to work commitments. Nevertheless I always makes some time for #TopTenTuesday particularly when the topics are something I am familiar with. The topic for today is ‘Top Ten Favorite Heroines From Books’. Since the books that I read tend to be romantic in nature, it’s hard to shortlist my list of favourite heroines. After giving it much thought, I decided to write my ten favourite heroines as well as some snippets from their books or fans’ reviews that describe their characteristics/personality:

Louise Downe in ‘Silver Lining’ by Maggie Osbourne

‘Silver Lining’ by Maggie Osborne

I love this scene (refer below) where Mother McCord told her son Max about Louise’s character. It perfectly describes one of Louise’s characteristics.

“I’ve always known what you were thinking. You’re squeezing that marble in your pocket and you’re thinking your cattle wouldn’t be at risk if it weren’t for Louise. And maybe you’re right. But take a hard look, son. When you see that woman working up a sweat pitching hay like a hired hand … you’re looking at character.”

“And if we ever have another family dinner that goes like the last one did, you pay attention. I have an idea that your Louise doesn’t sit still for too many insults, and I imagine she could cut someone down to size in about three sentences if she wanted to. But she sat silent while Philadelphia ridiculed and belittled her. Louise did this out of respect for you and this family. That is also character.”

Katherine James is proud of her Native American heritage and wants to be a voice for the Navajo community. She is a modern woman who lives in a big city but she still practices the traditional values. She isn’t easily offended when people questioned about her old-fashioned beliefs. She educates those who are unaware of Navajo customs.

If you’d like to read about the inspiration for Naked Edge, click here.

This book is refreshing because it features a heroine who has hearing impairment. Laurel is caught between the deaf and hearing worlds. Laurel is able to live a pretty normal life because she doesn’t allow her disability to define her.

I ❤ Risa because of her sassiness and confidence. She also one of the toughest, kindest and most affectionate heroines I have encountered. Another reason I like Risa: her vulnerability. She wasn’t afraid to tell about her misfortunes.

“You deserve to have someone take care of you once in a while.”

Risa stiffened at his words, her back rigid and tight. “That kind of thinking is for princesses who grew up in castles, not for girls who’d gone from one crappy foster home to another.”

“You don’t think you deserve that?

“You learn not to want stuff like that when…” She cleared her throat, unable to explain her life to someone with his background. “You just don’t.”

What I love about Liberty Jones is that she takes her responsibilities very seriously. She could have placed her younger sister in foster care when their mother died but she took the guardianship of her sister. She forgives Carrington even when she throws tantrum (as seen in this scene):

I went to the far end of the kitchen where my sister was standing. Her small face was tense and anxious, her hair comically wild like a troll doll’s. She looked as if she were going to cry. “Liberty…”

When you love a child, you forgive her before she can even ask. Basically you’ve already forgiven her for things she hasn’t even done yet. “It’s okay,” I murmured, reaching for her. “It’s okay, baby.”

Carrington rushed forward, her skinny arms closing tight around me. “I’m sorry,” she said tearfully. “I didn’t mean the stuff I said, any of it.”

Although this story has a science fiction element (time-travelling) in its plot, in essence it is a love story that is relatable. I love Clare’s strength in dealing with Henry’s curse – she’s so patient and loyal. She believes in fate and doesn’t want to change its course even though she could (by choosing another man).

Penelope is intelligent and independent unlike other women in that era. She is unfazed by what society thinks of her and does not mind poking fun at herself. I love it when Colin realised that Penelope is a truly wonderful woman:

She was amazing. He didn’t know how he hadn’t realized it before, when he’d already known that she was smart and lovely and witty and resourceful. But all those adjectives, and a whole host more he hadn’t yet thought of, did not add up to the true measure of her.

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Are you a bibliophile who enjoys intense book discussions? If you live in Kuala Lumpur or Selangor, check out The Paperback Book Club.

The book chosen for December is ‘The Casual Vacancy’ by J.K. Rowling. A summary of the story is written below:

When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils … Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are mine and do not necessarily reflect those of SS Readers Corner.

Tuesday is my favourite day to blog because of #TopTenTuesday. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner so this week’s topic is all about ❤ – ‘Top Ten Things I Like & Dislike When It Comes to Romances in Books’.

Things I Like When It Comes to Romances in Books

Great character growth

A great example of a romance novel that features this point is ‘Kiss An Angel’ by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. At the start of the book, Daisy Devreaux was a flighty socialite who had money problems. To solve the problem, her father coerced her into marrying a brooding circus worker named Alex Markov. As the story progressed, her views on hard work & money changed:

“I found all kinds of thrift stores and second-hand shops in the towns we’ve visited. Do you know I’d never been in a Wal-Mart until two weeks ago? It’s amazing how far you can stretch a dollar if you’re careful, and-“

Alex too changed over the course of the book. The no-nonsense and uptight hero started to lighten up and became affectionate as he spent more time with his wife.

“It figures,” she grumbled through her own smile. “Alex Markov finally laughs, and it’s at my expense.”

I cannot stop raving about this book so I collect relevant pins. If I’m in mood for a familiar love story, this is my go-to book.

One of the many covers for ‘Kiss an Angel’

Tender/intimate gestures

When there are many intimate gestures in a love story, it makes the romance more believable. I was pleasantly surprised by Cora Reilly’s ‘Bound by Honor’ because of emotional intensity of Aria’s and Luca’s love. There was a sexual tension between them but they took time to develop their relationship. Ms Reilly used many non-sexual gestures to build up their romance, for example:

I wasn’t sure why but I reached out and put my hand on his leg. His eyes snapped toward me briefly, then he covered my hand with his until he needed it to shift gears again.

He traced my lips with his thumb, then brushed my cheek.

I just swoon whenever these gestures are present. I try to find relevant pins for my Pinterest board about this novel.

‘Bound by Honor’ by Cora Reilly

Successful heroines

I grew up listening to Destiny’s Child and one of my favourite songs is ‘Independent Women, Pt. 1.’ I love a romance book or movie that features a successful career woman. One of my favourite established heroines is Anne Calhoun‘s Lacey in ‘Liberating Lacey’.

“I take care of me, Hunter.” Now she sounded as flat as he did. “I make my own money. There are very few men in this city who out-earn me and I have a very large trust fund, leaving me with a very small pool from which to choose if my goal were a man who could support me. I married for love the first time and if I marry again, it will be for the same reason. Never for money.”

When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils … Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

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Hashtag #bookadayuk is back on Twitter after a month of absence. In case you have forgotten, #bookadayuk is a Twitter campaign to discuss about books. There is a different topic of to talk about every day.

In February 2015, the hashtag is hosted by The Borough Press. If you would like to tweet your book suggestions, don’t forget to include hashtag #bookadayuk and @BoroughPress. Here is a list of topics:

#bookadayuk topics for February 2015p

Check out my tweet for today. 🙂 Which author would you like to meet? Tell me in the comment box below!

We are very excited to announce our next virtual festival and we’d love you to be involved. For those who took part last time, you will know that we have a program of events on Twitter, Facebook and a few Google Hangouts.

Again we plan for the Saturday to be a professional development day for authors (last time we had Script Doctor sessions with editors, Goodreads, tips on getting reviews and much more.)

On the Sunday, we will focus the programme for romance fans which last time included author interviews, romance in YA, discussion around romantic places, steampunk, the men of romance etc.

This event is open and inclusive; everyone is welcome.

If you are an aspiring or established author and you’d like to get involved in a live event, then do let us know. Or if you aren’t around that weekend, we also have a Q&A you can complete…

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are mine and do not necessarily reflect those of SS Readers Corner. This post contains spoilers so kindly skim it to avoid too much information.

Today’s topic is about books that a blogger cannot believe s/he has not read in a particular genre. Since I am an avid fan of romance novels, here are my top ten romances books that I cannot believe I haven’t read.

‘Pride & Prejudice’ by Jane Austen

I have seen so many adaptations (movies, BBC tv series & even webseries) but somehow I just don’t feel the urge to read its original source. Any tips?

One of the many book covers for ‘Pride and Prejudice’

‘Wuthering Heights’ by Emily Brontë

I have not read the book nor watched any adaptations. I would be more willing to read the book if I had watched a good movie adaptation. What’s the best adaptation of ‘Wuthering Heights’?

One of the many covers for ‘Wuthering Heights’

‘Romeo & Juliet’ by William Shakespeare

I enjoy Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo & Juliet but I think the suicidal pact is silly. Juliet was too young to sacrifice her life to be with her ‘true’ love.

I don’t mind reading erotic romance but I steer away from bad writing. I manage to avoid these books since the trilogy went mainstream in 2012. However I wouldn’t mind watching the movie though I wish Charlie Hunnam had stayed on to play Christian Grey.

I’ve had this book in my ‘To be read’ list ever since it won Goodreads Choice for Debut Author in 2013. I bought a cheaper copy online last month – I couldn’t wait to read it. I have high expectations!

I couldn’t wait for the sequel after reading ‘The Edge of Never’. It’s been almost two years since ‘The Edge of Always’ was published but I always contemplate buying a copy. I’m afraid of disappointment.

I simply love ‘Exquisite’, the first book in a trilogy by Ella Frank. Her writing is so brilliant that I was hooked from the start till the end of the novel. What delays me from reading book #2? The price of a paperback copy – it’s twice the cost of a mass-market paperback novel. Fret not, I will read once I the trilogy!